With the looming effects of the dry spell brought about by the ongoing El Niño phenomenon, the Department of Agriculture in Bicol is preparing mitigation measures to ensure farmers’ agricultural yield and adaptation during the season.

In an interview on Wednesday, DA Bicol field operation division chief Mary Grace Rodriguez said that, as an intervention, they are preparing drought-resistant seed varieties to be distributed to farmers amid the possible water scarcity during the drought.

“Let’s start with the mitigation measures and those that our farmers can do, which include the crops that we can plant that don’t require much water,” she said.

“We have varieties for rice and vegetables that can withstand limited water. We disseminate the information to the ground so that our farmers can choose drought-resistant seeds like okra and sitaw for vegetables. For those animal raisers, the shelters must be protected and covered,” Rodriguez added.

Moreover, the DA official said they had prepared buffer stocks of rice seeds to provide the farmers with rehabilitation to ensure their food security, not just during El Niño but in preparation for any possible calamities.

“This buffer stock is not just for El Niño but for all other weather disturbances that may happen since the Bicol region is always visited by typhoons; even for the shear line, we make a report for that,” she said.

DA Bicol said it will also distribute irrigation pumps and sets and install an automated weather station, swine production, and greenhouses as El Niño interventions.

Last December, Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said that at least 65 provinces in the country may experience a moderate to severe drought from February to May 2024.

Earlier this week, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration confirmed that a strong El Niño is occurring and is expected to persist until February.

The regular El Niño phenomenon, on the other hand, is anticipated until May.